


Oversensitive

by fanetjuh



Category: The Originals (TV), The Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, Alternate Universe - Human, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-27
Updated: 2017-08-27
Packaged: 2018-12-20 15:29:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,173
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11923824
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fanetjuh/pseuds/fanetjuh
Summary: Klaus Mikaelsons is determined to marry the perfect girl and has designed a test to find her. So far not one woman has passed his test, but then Caroline Forbes shows up, soaked from head to toe and looking for warmth and shelter.*This fanfic is a retelling of "the princess and the pea", a fairytale by Hans Christian Andersen*





	Oversensitive

**Author's Note:**

  * For [black_wings](https://archiveofourown.org/users/black_wings/gifts).



Once upon a time, in a castle, in a far away land lived two brothers. They had sworn to protect each other. They had sworn to love each other and they had sworn to call each other out when needed.

“And why, my dear brother, should I settle for anything less than I deserve?” Klaus Mikaelson leaned back in his comfortable chair. His fingers were tapping on the arm rest and he rolled his eyes while his brother shook his head. 

“What you’re attempting to find, Niklaus, is perfection. Although humanity is striving for perfection for as long as we remember, I am certain that we have still not reached it. There is absolutely no woman in this world who will meet your impossible standards.” Elijah had one hand in the pocket of his pants. 

“So, should I simply give up then? Should I accept any girl mother finds suitable for me?” Klaus cocked his head. “I am certain that the girl I am looking for is out there somewhere. I just need to find her.”

“And preferably before your twenty-fifth birthday in three days from now, which might complicate the task if I may add.” Elijah curled his lips up into a mocking smile. “Apart from that, I pity every girl who will be forced to live the rest of her life with you.”

“Come on!” Klaus stood up from his chair. The veins in his neck were visibly beating and he had all his muscles tensed. “Yes, I might have a temper, but does that mean I don’t deserve happiness? Not even the slightest bit?”

“That is not what I’m saying, Niklaus, and you know that.” Elijah pointed with his finger. “Not even Finn has married the perfect woman and he is the crown prince.”

“And since I am nothing but a worthless bastard I should therefore be happy with less?” Klaus raised his eyebrows and he fell down in his chair again. “And here I thought that father has died a long time ago. It seemed that his ghost is still wandering through this castle.” 

Elijah let out a deep sigh. If his brother was in such a mood, there was nothing he could do or say to change that. Over the years he had lost his patience more often than he could count already, but even though there was a certain stupidity in his stubbornness he kept on trying to make Klaus’ life less miserable. After all, just because father used to say that Niklaus didn’t deserve any happiness, it didn’t mean Elijah should simply allow his brother to stay miserable for the rest of his life. He loved him too much to let that happen. 

But there was a difference between helping Niklaus to meet the girl that would give him his happily ever after and agreeing with the impossible test Niklaus had designed to discover which girl was worth his love. Just like there was a difference between agreeing that those girls who didn’t pass the test were simply not meant to be Niklaus' bride and agreeing with Niklaus’ decision to behead those who had the courage to give his challenge a try, but failed.

“You have three more days.” Elijah eventually turned around. He had tried to talk some sense into his brother for weeks now. He had invited him to balls and parties at every other castle in the entire Kingdom. His patience had it’s limit and that limit was almost reached. “If you have not found the perfect lady who will pass you idiotic test within the next three days, you will agree to marry the girl mother has promised you to.” Without giving his brother the chance to say no Elijah left the room, almost silently closing the door behind him. 

***

Klaus simply raised his eyebrows. He refused to admit that his test was impossible. And he refused to admit that the girl he was looking for didn’t exist. If the girl he was looking for didn’t exist, he wouldn’t know this clearly what he wanted. He stood up from his chair and grabbed his coat. He needed a walk through the forest. He needed some time to think. He needed an excellent plan to lure more girls to the castle willing to try to win his hand.

But as soon as he opened the front door he noticed the almost black clouds darkening the sky above the castle. Flashes of lightning brightened the air, followed by the deafening sound of the thunder within less than a second. 

“O, thank God! There is someone at home!” The high pitched voice, belonging to a blond haired girl, sounded even more relieved than she looked. "I was already afraid that this would be an empty castle. Or even worse, a haunted mansion.” The girl stepped inside before Klaus could invite her to do so. “I hope you don’t mind, but that pouring rain has already ruined my hair and I won’t let it ruin my heels too. I promise, I will leave again as soon as it stops raining.”

Klaus opened his mouth to say something, but he closed it again when he let his eyes wander over the young lady that walked in like she had been living here all her life already. 

She was soaked from head to toe. Her long blond hair was glued to her forehead and small drops of rain dripped on the cold marble floor. Even though the rain had done quite a number on her, it was impossible to not notice how pretty she was. Her red lips were curled up into a kind smile and her light eyes seemed to look into his soul like no one else had ever done before. 

“Are you going to offer me a towel? A warm shower? Fresh clothes? Or are you going to stand there staring at me until the storm is gone and you can send me away again?” She crossed her arms over her chest and she shifted her weight from one leg to the other while doing say. 

“Do you have any idea who you’re talking too?” He raised his eyebrows. He was not used to people not knowing who he was. He was even less used to people speaking to him using such a tone. Everyone who knew who he was, also knew what he was capable of. 

“Yes, I do.” The girl looked up. “You're Klaus Mikaelson, the guy who beheads every girl who is stupid enough to sign up for a stupid test to win his hand.” She clacked her tongue. “I don’t understand why someone would even do something like that. Firstly, I don’t think you can find your true love through some stupid test. And secondly, why would you behead people simply because they are not miss right?” 

Klaus curled his lips up into an amused smile. “Don't you think that someone like me deserves the best? And don’t you think that wasting my time by signing up for said test and failing should be punished?”

“Someone who beheads people because they are not his true love doesn’t deserve the best." She clacked her tongue again and shook her head. “Especially not if that someone is still not offering a poor soaked girl a towel, a shower and some dry clothes.” 

“Excuse me, my lady.” Klaus bent his head slightly and then he offered her his arm. “I will make it up to you. Not only will I give you your towel, shower and dry clothes. I also offer you a seat at our dinner table and a warm bed for the night.” 

“That sounds a lot better already." The girl accepted his arm. “One more thing though.” She cocked her head. “You forgot to ask me for my name.” She shrugged her shoulders. “But since you already have enough to make up for, I will spare you the trouble.” She curled her lips up into the most beautiful smile Klaus Mikaelson had ever seen. “It’s Caroline, Caroline Forbes.”

“It's a pleasure to meet you, Caroline Forbes.” He let her name roll of his tongue as if it was a poem and he smiled when a small giggle escaped her lips. 

***

Elijah frowned his eyebrows when his brother entered the dining room with his arm linked with a beautiful blonde. Over the last few months Elijah had seen quite some ladies come and go, but not once had one been invited for dinner. He wondered if Klaus had understood that maybe his test was not the only possible way to discover if a girl was truly perfect, or if maybe this girl was already special before she had proven to be so. 

“Elijah!” Klaus raised his voice and a playful smile brightened his face. “May I introduce you to Caroline Forbes?” He cocked his head slightly and led the pretty girl towards his brother. “Caroline had some trouble with her car and ended up in the current storm. I offered her a place to stay so she can warm up until the sun is shining again.” Klaus winked and Elijah felt a slight bit of discomfort while he reached for Caroline’s hand so he could kiss it.

“It's a pleasure to meet you, miss Forbes." He looked up at her again and wondered if the girl had any idea what was waiting for her. Just like he wondered if Klaus would order to behead her too if she would fail a test she had not even signed up for. “I do have to admit that you already have quite some influence on my brother. He usually doesn’t invite ladies to dinner.”

“Nonsense!” Klaus hurried to interrupt his brother and Elijah smirked. “Ladies, especially beautiful ones, are always welcome at my dinner table.” He didn’t finish his sentence, but Elijah knew how he would have continued it if Caroline had not been there. Klaus had simply not met a true lady before and his test had always proven him right.

“I assume you don’t met ladies that often, because ladies wouldn’t be stupid enough to sign up for your stupid test.” Caroline raised his eyebrows while she pulled her hand back. “Why should a lady prove a man that she’s good enough for him? It should be the other way round! The man should prove that he’s good enough for her!” 

Elijah cocked his head slightly and raised his eyebrows, but somehow the fire miss Forbes seemed to possess amused him. And he noticed that he wasn’t the only one who appreciated the fierceness she displayed without fear, even though she knew what was going on in this castle and what Niklaus did to those who didn’t live up to his incredibly high standards. 

“And how is my brother doing so far?” Elijah locked his glance with Caroline’s and Caroline shrugged her shoulders. 

“He didn’t offer me a towel, a shower or dry clothes. He didn’t ask for my name.” She squeezed her eyes a little, but her lips trembled while they curled up slightly. “But since I pointed that out to him, he’s doing pretty decent.”

Elijah fought the urge to let out a laugh. He couldn’t remember the last person who had called his brother decent and had lived to tell the tale, but it seemed that somehow this girl had changed something in him, had touched something in him. And Elijah had to admit that he hoped that this girl would pass the test or would at least make Klaus forget about the test completely. Somehow he believed that this girl might have a good influence on his brother, might be able to help Klaus discover the person he had been for such a long time without knowing it. 

Maybe this girl had come at the exact right moment to give his brother the happily ever after he deserved.

***

“Shall I bring you to your room, my lady?” Klaus offered Caroline his arm and Caroline giggled, slightly intoxicated because of the bottle of champagne they had opened, while she accepted it. “You must be tired and it is quite late already.”

A smile spread across her face and she let out a sigh while they climbed the stairs towards the first floor. “I didn’t think it would be this much fun.” She spoke softly, even though she didn’t have to be afraid to wake anyone up. “Actually, I really thought you would call me a cab and kick me out.” She bent her head and stared at her feet. Her shoes were drying in the kitchen, but somehow her bare feet on the red tapestry made Klaus wonder what it would be like to have her around for the rest of his life. 

“Did you really think that low of me?” Klaus cocked his head. He had known that the people in the village were not exactly fond of him and his family, but he had not known that his reputation had been this bad. 

“Yes.” Caroline answered while she bit her lip. “You designed a test to see if a girl is worth your hand and behead them if they fail!” She shrugged her shoulders. “How could I know that you would be an intelligent and witty man and a nice conversationalist?” 

For a moment Klaus kept silent. A slight feeling of guilt was coming over him. He was planning on letting her take the test. He also hoped that she would pass it without even trying. He was however not sure what he would do if she would fail, just like all the others. How could he ever behead a girl this pretty, this smart, this brave? He licked his lips and for a short moment he contemplated bringing her to another bedroom, to a normal bedroom. But eventually his curiosity got the best of him and he opened one of the many doors in the endless hallway.

The bedroom was huge. Red curtains were blown by the wind and huge paintings covered the walls. In the middle of the room stood a bed with twelve mattresses almost reaching the ceiling. 

“I have to sleep in that?” Caroline raised her eyebrows and she freed herself from Klaus’ arm. “Don’t you have normal beds in this castle?” She turned her face towards the man next to her and he avoided her glance while he shrugged his shoulders. 

“I am afraid that the only other option is sharing a bed with me and although I like you, I would say that might be a little early.” He looked up at her again and he saw how Caroline crossed her arms over her chest before she took a deep breath. 

“Fine…” She shook her head while she reluctantly walked towards the bed, or what should be one at least. “But I hope you don’t expect me to sleep well.”

Klaus curled his lips up into a slight smile. He didn’t. He didn’t expect her to sleep well at all. He actually hoped she wouldn’t sleep well at all. But he couldn’t tell her that.

***

That night Klaus didn’t sleep well himself either. He turned from one side to the other, tried to read a little to calm his mind, even went to the kitchen to ask for hot milk with honey, but nothing helped. More than once he had hesitated in front of the door of the spare bedroom. He wanted to know if Caroline was asleep. He wanted to know if she had noticed anything weird. He wanted to know if she would pass the test she had not even signed up for. But he was afraid that he would find her dreaming. He was afraid that she had fallen asleep and had not noticed anything. He was afraid that maybe she would fail like so many others before her. 

“Klaus!” 

He stood still when the door of the spare bedroom was opened. 

Caroline looked like she had not closed her eyes at all. She had dark circles under her eyes and her hair was one big mess. “If you do not give me a proper bed now, I won’t be responsible for my mood in a couple of hours!” She crossed her arms over her chest. 

“Were the twelve mattresses not soft enough, Caroline?” Klaus cocked his head, but he kept his glance locked with hers while he felt his heart racing in his chest. “Or are you afraid of heights?” He curled his lips up into a little smile, but Caroline shook her head.

“I have no idea what’s in those mattresses, but my back hurts and I refuse to spend one more second on them!” Her lips were forming a straight line. “You live in a castle. Girls are risking their head to marry you. The least you can do is give me a proper bed to sleep in.”

The smile on Klaus’ face brightened and brightened and eventually he grabbed both her hands and rubbed her knuckles. “I knew that someone like you existed. Intelligent, brave, beautiful and sensitive, the entire package.” He pulled her a little closer towards him. “You have just passed the test, miss Forbes.”

“Test?” Caroline raised her eyebrows and she pulled her hand back. “This was your test? Sleeping on twelve mattresses and noticing that they were uncomfortable?” She let out a soft chuckle. "How can anyone sleep like this?”

“You might be surprised how many women have spent quite a pleasant night here.” Klaus reached for her hands once more, but Caroline turned around and walked away from him. “I am afraid I’ve lost count, but I might be able to find their heads somewhere.”

“This is not funny, Klaus!” Caroline looked over her shoulder. “You can’t just test me without me knowing it! What would you have done when I had failed? Would you have beheaded me too?” She stared at him with burning flames in her eyes and in that moment Klaus knew that he would do everything he could to make her love him. 

"I don't think I could have.” Klaus shook his head and for a few seconds there was nothing but silence between them. "You are special, Caroline Forbes. Not just because you passed my test, but also because you are you.” He slowly walked towards her and he curled his hand around her wrist before he entwined his fingers with hers. “I hope you are willing to give me a chance to prove you that I’m not just a monster.”

Caroline stared at their hands for a moment and then she licked her lips while she looked up at Klaus. “I can’t wait to meet your romantic side, Klaus Mikaelson.” She smiled and then she pressed a kiss on his cheek. “But never ever do something like that to me ever again.”

“You, Caroline Forbes, will be my queen for the rest of your life and will therefore be treated as such.” 

And, if Klaus has kept his promise, they lived happily ever after!


End file.
